"Community, Identity, Stability" is the motto of Aldous Huxley's utopian World State. Here everyone consumes daily grams of soma, to fight depression, babies are born in laboratories, and the most popular form of entertainment is a "Feelie," a movie that stimulates the senses of sight, hearing, and touch. Though there is no violence and everyone is provided for, Bernard Marx feels something is missing and senses his relationship with a young women has the potential to be much more than the confines of their existence allow. Huxley foreshadowed many of the practices and gadgets we take for granted today--let's hope the sterility and absence of individuality he predicted aren't yet to come.


From Library Journal
Grade 8 Up-Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is a classic science fiction work that continues to be a significant warning to our society today. Tony Britton, the reader, does an excellent job of portraying clinical detachment as the true nature of the human incubators is revealed. The tone lightens during the vacation to the wilderness and the contrast is even more striking. Each character is given a separate personality by Britton's voices. As the story moves from clinical detachment to the human interest of Bernard, the nonconformist, and John, the "Savage," listeners are drawn more deeply into the plot. Finally, the reasoned tones of the Controller explain away all of John's arguments against the civilization, leading to John's death as he cannot reconcile his beliefs to theirs.The abridgement is very well done, and the overall message of the novel is clearly presented. The advanced vocabulary and complex themes lend themselves to class discussion and further research. There is sure to be demand for this classic in schools and public libraries.Pat Griffith, Schlow Memorial Library, State College, PA Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From AudioFile
Aldous Huxley's novel of a genetically engineered, drugged-out utopia set in the not-too-distant future seems more prophetic by the day. British actor Michael York's refined and dramatic reading captures both the tone and the spirit of Huxley's masterpiece. His adept characterizations are instrumental in helping the listener discriminate between the book's innumerable characters, and his handling of the contrapuntal sections in Chapter 3 makes song from what might have been a muddle with a lesser reader. On occasion, York tends to overdramatize, making for unwanted melodrama and unintentional humor; but overall this is an excellent performance of a classic and prescient twentieth-century novel. G.B.C. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Huxley￯﾿ﾽs vision of the future in his astonishing 1931 novel Brave New World -- a world of tomorrow in which capitalist civilization has been reconstituted through the most efficient scientific and psychological engineering, where the people are genetically designed to be passive, consistently useful to the ruling class.

SYNOPSIS

Huxley￯﾿ﾽs vision of the future in his astonishing 1931 novel Brave New World -- a world of tomorrow in which capitalist civilization has been reconstituted through the most efficient scientific and psychological engineering.

FROM THE CRITICS

Saturday Review of Literature

Mr. Huxley is eloquent in his declaration of an artist's faith in man, and it is his eloquence, bitter in attack, noble in defense, that, when one has closed the book, one remembers.

Forum Staff

A fantastic racy narrative, full of much excellent satire and literary horseplay.

Library Journal

Gr 8 Up-Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is a classic science fiction work that continues to be a significant warning to our society today. Tony Britton, the reader, does an excellent job of portraying clinical detachment as the true nature of the human incubators is revealed. The tone lightens during the vacation to the wilderness and the contrast is even more striking. Each character is given a separate personality by Britton's voices. As the story moves from clinical detachment to the human interest of Bernard, the nonconformist, and John, the "Savage," listeners are drawn more deeply into the plot. Finally, the reasoned tones of the Controller explain away all of John's arguments against the civilization, leading to John's death as he cannot reconcile his beliefs to theirs.The abridgement is very well done, and the overall message of the novel is clearly presented. The advanced vocabulary and complex themes lend themselves to class discussion and further research. There is sure to be demand for this classic in schools and public libraries.-Pat Griffith, Schlow Memorial Library, State College, PA Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

AudioFile - Yuri Rasovsky

Huxley￯﾿ﾽs visionary novel of social engineering postulates a future world in which for the sake of social stability drugs and sex and mindlessness replace truth and beauty. It became a classic almost from its publication. Peter Firth concentrates on the dialogue, giving us vivid characterizations and plenty of drama. His narrative, however, is flat and graceless, a disservice to Huxley￯﾿ﾽs descriptive powers. Worse are the instances of total misreadings rare, but glaring. While students may find this recording more enlightening than Cliff￯﾿ﾽs Notes, those who listen for pleasure should pass this by. Y.R. ￯﾿ﾽAudioFile, Portland, Maine

Staff Forum

A fantastic racy narrative, full of much excellent satire and literary horseplay.

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